The life of an independent financial advisor can be both challenging and rewarding. The more passionate you are about your work, the more likely you are to take on extra tasks and log longer hours. Burning the candle at both ends may result in a productivity boost for awhile, but…
Put on your shoes. Find your bus pass. Get your backpack. These instructions on my pre-teen son’s morning task list spell out exactly what actions he must take to get out the door on time and prepared. While I would prefer that he figure it out for himself, I realize that…
Solo financial advisors and smaller RIA firm owners: Help is on the way! As you increase your revenue in your financial planning business, you have more profits to invest in your support system. This means you can set yourself up to scale while reducing or redirecting your personal effort in the…
To make informed, confident decisions about directing your resources for your financial planning firm you must set and measure against metrics. Tracking marketing metrics not only reinforces singular focus as you hone in on improving specific numbers, it also reveals how well you are performing. And that may be an…
I've always been a big fan of leading with values. After all, how are you supposed to decide what choices make sense if you do not have absolute clarity on what matters most to you? You may use values-oriented exercises with your clients to help develop a meaningful financial plan…
As an independent financial planner trying to do it all, you may wonder where to invest your effort in marketing for the best outcome and how to know if a particular outlet makes sense for your business. Make your decision easy by returning to the basic tenets of direct marketing.…
Financial planners and advisers often describe marketing as the act of attracting “leads” to your firm whom you can then sell on becoming a client. With this myopic view you will miss out on multiple (and perhaps easier) ways to make more money in your business. Marketing is so much more…
Self-employment brings with it freedom and flexibility, but it also presents a host of new challenges. As an independent financial advisor, there may be times when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or unsure of how to stay focused and energized. Whether you’ve been in the game for awhile, or you’re…
For the past decade I’ve listened as financial advisers tell me they are afraid if they pick a niche and speak to one target audience, they will lose out on opportunities. Financial planners get nervous about pigeonholing themselves, so they keep their options open, and do not commit to the…
If you have clarity on your target audience, a web site that speaks to them, and a lead magnet to capture visitors to your site, you have a solid foundation for executing a successful marketing plan. One last foundation element to check off is to claim and tailor your online listings…
Stuck at the same level? Looking for faster growth? Upgrade your marketing by leveraging partnerships. Learn how with the advanced strategies in the Growth Acceleration Toolkit